Читать книгу Gun Digest 2011 онлайн

220 страница из 495

The original calibre .44 Webley Bull Dog revolver had been designed specifically to overcome this discrepancy in a compact form of self-defence giving several shots of reasonable power.

As its name implied, it was small yet powerful for its size. Possessing a handgun of that calibre and one emanating from such a prominent handgun manufacturer may well have added to a general feeling of security for each purchaser. Attendant to that concept was the knowledge that shots fired from a .44 revolver would certainly have more detrimental affect on any wild animal than those fired from a pistol of lesser power.

SCONTINENTAL VERSIONS

At first, the Belgian gun manufacturers still adhered to the larger calibres and most of the Bull Dogs from Liege were chambered for the .450 cartridge. The construction and quality of these weapons, while perhaps not quite up to the standard of the British product, were perfectly adequate and this, together with the more reasonable purchase price, created a huge demand for Bull Dog models generally amongst the transient American workforce. Prices ranged from as low as $6 to $7, in comparison to a $12 charge for the Webley, thus presenting a serious challenge to the British product.